FLORIDA – Unpaid fees cost local man his home

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It seems hard to believe that someone could lose their home for failing to pay late fees related to their community assessment. “I’m still in disbelief,” said John Shaffer. Shaffer, a prolific musician, Ph. D., and grandfather can’t wrap his hands nor his mind around what happened. “I don’t see how this happened,” said Shaffer. “I don’t see how this happened.”

On Oct. 28, his home was auctioned off for $12,700 to Duval Land Trust, pursuant to chapter 45 of Florida statutes. “It is just not right,” he said. How did it happen? Court documents show Shaffer owed maintenance fees from October 2011 to January 2014 for a total of $177.70. Shaffer said he eventually paid, but not the attorney fees. He said he was not properly invoiced. “All I did was argued paying a legal fee that I don’t think, to this day, that I owe,” he said. Read more: